Recording chart and changer therefor



Sept. 10, 1963 l B. G. sTooPs 3,103,402 f A RECORDING CHART AND CHANGER THEREFOR med nec. 19, 1960 4 sheets-sheet 1 f" l ...ANumummmlHmumrnrmw" e 38 so ZIO.

` v 3e 59 45 l 340 l 47 ATTOR N EYS.

Sept. 10, 1963 Filed Deo. 19, 1960 B. G. STOOPS RECORDING CHART AND CHANGER THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BOBBY G. STOOPS ATTORNEYS` spt.v 1o, 1963 B. G. STQOPS' 3,103,402`

\ RECORDING CHART AND CHANGER THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 54 56 55 Filed Dec. 19; 1960 INVENTOR. BOBBY .G. STOOPS BY ff/ AT TORN EYS.

' Sept. 10, 1963 B. G. sTooPs I RECORDING CHART AND CHANGER TI-IEREFOR Filed Dec, 19, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiC-LIO.`

INVENTOR BoBBY e. sTooPs y BY l g y??? ,zg

ATTORNEYS.

to measure a Variable.

' to replace the used chart with a succeeding chart. fever, it is rare that an attendant will be at the recording f apparatus at the precise instant of time whenonechart This invention relates to improvements in circular recording charts and to an apparatus .for automatically eifecting a change Yof charts so as to remove achart from .a stack or bank of charts aftera record has been completely traced thereon.

Explanatory of thepresent invention, many records RECORDING .are prepared by rotating acircular chart behind or beneath one or 'more penslthat are excited or triggered They chart is rotated steadily and continuously in accordance with time and in the vusual situation, twenty-four hours are required to rotate the chart through one complete revolution. The chart has imprinted thereon concentric circles and in the usual situation the zero circle is innermost but leaving at the center of the chart a normally unused area or an area .which is normally not traversed by any? of the yrecording pens. The circle indicative of the maximum of the variable is located near the peripheral edge of the` chart. The chart has also imprinted thereon approximately radial lines that are equally spaced from each other and which divide the chart into increments or intervals of time.y These lines arev not trueradii, but are usually curved so as tobe coincident with the are of swing of the pens. A n

When a charthas been rotated one complete revolution and the record or records havey been traced thereonby the pens, it is usually necessary or next highly desirable Howhas completed its revolution,4 and it is .desired to .transfer :the record that is being continuously formed to a succeeding chart. Consequently, it has heretofore been proposed'to provide an apparatus which would automatically remove` the foremost chart` of a stack orbank of charts and effect a transfer of thepens to the next subjacent chart.

One `such apparatus is disclosed in United States Letters `-SPatent No. 2,706,745 issuedMarch 8, 1955, to T. K. M.

Smith.. The apparatus disclosed in that patent contemplates the use of a stack or bank of charts each of which are slitted on one of the approximately radial lines from a point adjacent thepen'phery of the chart to a semicircular slit located adjacent the zero circle. A small construction is limited to more than one but less than two complete revolving charts.

It has also been proposed in `United States patent -application Serial No. 42,905 :tiled July 14, 1960 by Robert Graham to slit the chart along one of the approximately radial lines all the way `from the peripheral edge of the chart to the center hole that is normally present at the center .of the chart, thus deiining a leading edge and a trailing edge on opposite sides of the slit. In that construction a tab that is coincident'in length -With the length of the slit was glued or otherwise fastened against the reverse side of the leading edgeof the chart andy extended [through the slit onto the obverse side of the trailing United States Patent O Patented Sept. 10,1963

ice

edge. This tab was utilized to :lift the leading edge of the chart in the course of its rotation and "cause it t'o move forwardly of thepens as the rotation proceeded. Such a construction hadvthe disadvantage Y'that the attachment of a separate piece of material tothe obverse side V.of the leading edge `involved a slow and diticult@ manu- Furtherinore, when the tab lwas cofacturing process. incident in length with the length ofthe slit it added extra thickness t0 'a stack of `charts which extra thickness extended across the entire recording rangeof the chart in the vicinity of the slit and required ythe inking pens to be raised and lowered as they recorded `on the chart `in this vicinity. Thatt'portionof the tab which extended over the obverse side of the trailing edge of the chart had the eltect of concealing that portion ofthe chart at the time that the chart wasre'ady or interpreted I and either had to be lfolded back or otherwise removed in order to expose the obverse side of the trailing edge. Where the slit extended completely frornthe periphery to the center hole in the chart, this allowed thetchart to spread to an undesirable degree when the chart. -was being i calculated or interpreted by meansv of a mechanical integrator. y,

vOne object of. the present invention is to kprovide an improved circular chart that has been designed "forruse in conjunction with an automatic changing fmechanism wherein the chart is slitted or divided on o ne1A ofthe approximately radial lines ifrom the periphery of the chart toward the center hole butleaving a bridge of chart matei rial near the center hole.v -In this manner, it is not necessary for the attendant tob'reak the bridge near, the'peripheral edge of the chart at the commencement-of each charts use and the retained bridge near the center hole is utilized to keep the chart from objectionably sp-read- Y Y formed of a section of separate material that is attached t to the chart, is struck out from thematerial of the chart' itself and preferably Ifrom thenormally unused center area that is disposed within the zero circle. `It occupies only a small portion of the obverse side of the trailing edge and is preferably located at or .near the zero circle. Consequently, its presence doesnot materially increase .the thickness of the stack of charts throughout the recording l range in the vicinity of the slit and it does not conceal or cover any substantial portion of the chartv lnear the trailing edge. n r

Another object of the invention-is to provide. a chart having the above-mentioned characteristics that has an indexing and fdrive notch `formed inthe peripheral edge of the chart on the trailingjedge' portion orinr the vicinity thereof. This arrangement not only facilitates indexing of the chart butl enables the friction ofthe recording pens to slightly open the slit so that there is -no danger of leading edges interleaving or yshuffling between trailing edges of subjacent charts. ,l ,y t y Still another object of the invention-is *to .provide'an improved automatic changing apparatus which Vwill consecutively lift charts from a staclror vbank afterthey have lbeen revolved one complete revolution whereby an automatic changing of. chartsmaybe continued indenitely.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made` manifest in the following detailed description and specically pointed out in the'appended-claims,

reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings for r`,an t

illustrative embodiment-ofthe invention, wherein: l

`FIGURE l is a front yview in elevation of thefmec-haf lnisrn lembodying the present invention illustrating charts c `embodying the present invention Kas having been applied thereto; 'y v FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially upon lfthe; line 2--2 upon FIG. l in the direction indicated;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 8f3 upon FIG. 1 in the direction indicated;

. j FIG. 4 is a partial view taken substantially upon the `line 454 upon FIG. l in the direction indicated but i1- ,lustrating the mechanism in` that position wherein the lstripper is held in its forwardmost position enabling replacement of ar stack of charts on the base or carrier;

FIG. 5 is a partial View in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 5---5` upon FIG. 4; i

FIG.l 6 is a view in section taken substantially upon theline 646 upon FIG. 4; l

FIG. 7 is la sectionalview taken substantially upon the line 7-7 upon FIG. l;

. FIG.l 8v is a partial view illustrating a step occurring z the course lof stripping one chart from the stack of charts;

. FIG. 9v is av view in elevation of one of the charts;

. FIG. 10 is a partial view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken substantially upon the line 10-10 FIG. v11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, but illustrating the chart as having beenslightly rotated fromy the posi- `tion shown in FIG.l 10; and

FIG..12 is a partial View in vertical section taken substanti-.11.19 upon the une 12-12 upon FIG. 1.

-Referring Ito the accompanying drawings wherein 'j `similar.reference characters designate similar parts throughout lllfindicatesy a circular plate against the forward face of which Ia stack ior bank 11 of circular charts `embodying the present invention is adapted to be posivtioned.l This plate has a central shaft 12 equipped with arernovable cap screw 13. vThe shaft 12 and plate 10l are Yadapted tov be steadily and continuously rotated by means of a driving-mechanism such as a mechanical or electrical timer 114. 'In conformity with conventional practice the plate is usually equipped with a projecting pin or stud 15 tioned on the plate 10 to drive the same.

Each chart forming the stack or bank 11 is of the type y' U illustrated in FIG. 9 consisting of a circular section of V'cardboard or paperboard 16 on which there are printed concentric circles 17-and approximately radial lines 18 that are equally spaced from each other. The innermost circle 19 may be .regarded as the zero circle lof the chart and surrounds a normally unused area 20. The outermost circle 21 arranged adjacent the peripheral edge of the chart represents the greatest magnitude recordable on the chart.

' In'acc'ordance with lthe present invention the chart is slitted or divided Yat 22 along one of the radial lines 18, thus dividing the chart so that it has a trailing edge portion 2 23-and a leading edge portion 24 considered in the directionl of rotation of the chart.

Atab V`25 is struck out ofthe normally unused central f area leavin'g a hole 26 therein arranged eccentrically with respect-to the hole 27 that receives the shaft 12.

l This i`s-also disposed remote from the hole 28 that norvrnally receives the driving pin 15. This tab, after being 'struck out, is reversely folded on the fold line `28' so that it occupies a position agains'tthe under or reverse side `notoccupy any substantial portion of the trailing edge 23` ,c in the range of the chart.

The' slit22 does Vnot extendentirely to the hole 27 but 'l a bridge 29 is left between the inner end of the slit and the hole. This bridge is never intended to be broken and is utilized to hold the chart'against opening at the slit in arranged eccentrically with respect to the shaft 12 and f which is receivable through apertures in the charts posi- In the peripheral edge of the chart and either in or near the trailing edge portion 23 there is formed Va notch 30. 'Ibis notch is applicable to a T-shaped driving head 31, see FIG. 12, with the sides. of the notch fitting snugly against the sides of the Ashank of the driving head. The head portion of the T-shaped driving head does not project lgreatly beyond the sides of the shank so that these projecting portions 32 serve `to hold the charts against the plate 10 until such time as the chart may have theedges of the notch 30` forcibly sprung thereover.

The recording apparatus' includes one or more pens, two of which are illustrated, indicated at 33 and 34. yThese pens are supplied with ink from ink reservoirs 35 and 36 through ilexiblehoses 37 and 38. The pens are triggered or excited in accordance with var-ations of the Variable to be measured `and swing through arcs that are coincident: with the curvatures of the approximately radial lines -18 at the point where the pens engage the chart during the course of revolution of the chart.

As the -front of the stack 1r1 of superposed charts that are positioned against the circular plate 10 there is a stripper 40. This stripper is normally urged continuously against the stack .11 and presents a radial beveled edge 41 and a circular beveled edge 42 forming a pointed edge '43 that is arranged in the circular path of the tab 25.

On the forward side of the stripper there is formed a generally helical earn 44, the height of which is very low near the beveled edge 41 bu-t which gradually increases to a high point 45 near 'its opposite end. helical cam is of suicient height at the point 45 so that a chart pressing thereagainst will be held forwardly of the pens 3-3 and 34. The stripper is mounted 'for movement toward and away Ifrom the circular plate 10 by means of opposed parallelograrn linkages generally indicate-d lat 46 and 47.

AS nissan-nin FIG. 4, .the rink-ages consist of two.

lparallel links 48 and 49 pivotally connected to the side of the :stripper at `50I and 51, respectively. These linkages are also pivotally connected to a bracket 5'2 mounted on the housing 53 at 54 and 55. Springs 56 urige the links 48 and 49 to swing downwardly and rearwardly.v

t However, a spring clip 57 is mounted on the link-t9l enbeing applied to therplate 10. After the charts have been applied the spring clip 57 is manually caused to rdisengage the link 48 and when this occurs the spring 56 is elfecti-ve to cause the links 48 and 49 to swing down` fwardly and rearwardly and thuspress the stripper against the forward side .of the stack or -bank 11 of charts. The parallelogram linkage 47 is of similar lconstruction `to the linkage 46 above described, and by reason of the parallelogram linkages the rear face of the stripper 40 will always be perfectly parallel to the yforward side of the plate 10 regardless of the thickness of the stack 1v1 that is between the stripper and the plate :10. Consequently, regardless of the number of charts Ithat are between the stripper and the plate the stripper will always press the Icharts toward the platel() without any tendency towards tilting relatively Ithereto or distorting the charts.

The stripper has an open area 58 adjacent the beveled edge 41 and presents a horizontal edge 59 near its top. The arms of the pens 33` and 34 have pivoted joints 60 equipped with torsion springs y61. rFliese torsion springs are effective .to constantly urge the pen arms to press their y of the pen arms Iand swings the pen arms upwardly and forwardly about their pivoted joints -as centers so that during the 'replacement the pen arms are automatically return the pen arms to their scribing positions.

. .The operation of the above-.described Iconstruction is substantially as follows:

With a stack or bank of charts on the plate the :foremost chart has the record of the variable or variables traced thereon by Ithe pens 33 and 34 as the chart is revolved. r1`his record commences at the leading edge 24. As the chart revolves that portion ot the tab 25 lying against the obverse side of the trailing edge 23|l encounters the beveled point 43 on the stripper Wit-h the result ythat the tab passes upwardly on the beveled point and liexes the leading edge 24 upwardly. The leading edge ultimately encounters the beveled edge 41 and is flexed upwardly thereby onto the helical cam 44. As the revolution of the plate 10 and charts thereon continues the chart is in etect ilexed or deformed into a helix and when the trailing edge 23 passes beneath the pens the leading edge 24 of the next .su'bjacent chart is exposed. Consequently, the pens merely drop 'from the trailing edge 23 of the toremost chart onto the leading edge ot the next subjacent chart. This cycle of operation will continue until the charts of the bank or stack r11 have been exhausted.

` When each trailing edge portion is caused to ride lor- Wardly or upwardly on the helical cam 44 eventually the pressure will be suiiicient to strip the sides of the notch 30 over the projecting portions 32 of the T-shaped head 31, thus completely detachin-g the chart :from theplate =10 except for the retention thereon 'by the cap screw 13. An

trom the shaft `12 and the pin 15. Whenever the stack` of charts on the plate 10 must be replenished the stripper can be swung :forwardly by means of its p-arallel linkages` 46 and 47 from lthe position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4, and locked in the position shown in FIG. 4 by the clip 57. During this movement the pens are automatically swung forwardly and upwardly and the stripper is held out of the way during the periodrequired to apply a new stack of charts tothe plate 10.

It will be appreciated Ifrom the abovetdescribed construction that the improved chart, by reason of its construction, can be easily and economically manufactured and possesses Ia number of impor-tant advantages; also, that the changing apparatus designed ttor use in conjunction therewith Iwill eiectively and eiciently remove a chart from the stack `after the record made thereon has been completed.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction Withourt departing from the` spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A circular recording chart Which'is divided on the line extending from its peripheral edge towards its center detining leading and trailing edges, and `a tab` secured to the reverse side of the chart adjacent the leading edge and extending across the line of division and positioned partially against the obverse side of the chart near its trailing edge, said tab occupying but a small fraction of the length of the trailing edge.,

2. A circular recording chart which is divided on the line extending from its peripheral edget-owards its center defining leading :and trailing edges, Iand a tab struck out of a portion of the chart adjacent the leading edge, reversely vfolded against the reverse side of the chart and extending across the 'line of division and onto the obverse side of the trailing edge.

3. A circular recording chart which is divided on the line extending from its peripheral edge towards its center deiining leading and trailing edges, 'and a tab secured to the reverse side Aof the chart adjacent the leading edge and extending across the Iline of division and positioned 6 partially against the obverse side of the chart near its trailing edge, said tab occupying but a small fraction of the length off the trailing edge and being arranged adja- -centthe center .of the chart.

4. A circular recording chart which is divided on the line extending trom its peripheral edge towards its center defining leading and trailing edges, and a tab struck out of a portion of the chart adjacent the leading edge reversely folded against the reverse side; of the chart and extending across the `line of division and 4onto the o verse side of the trailing edge, said tab being arranged adjacent the center of the chart.

. 5. A circular recording chart which is divided on the line extending from its peripheral edge towards its center defining leading land trailing edges, and a tab struck out `of a portion of the chart adjacent the leading edge reextending across .the line ot division and onto the 0bverse side of the trailing edge, the peripheral edge of the chart being notched a short distance in advance of the trailing edge to receive a driving means by which the chart may be rotated.

6. In a recorder, a rotary plate adapted to receive and rotate a stack of circular charts divided on approximately radi-al `lines deiining leading and trailing edges, :a stripper engageab-le beneath the leading edges of the charts consecutively as they rotate to consecutively remove the charts from the stack, means including linkages pivotally connected to opposed sides of the stripper for maintaining the stripper parallel to the plate but permitting it to move toward or away from the plate, spring means urging the stripper toward the plate, and means for releasably holding the stripper in a position remote 'from the plate While charts are being replaced on the plate.

-7. 'In fa recorder, a rotary plate adapted to hold and rotate a stack of circular charts divided `on approximately radial lines delining lead-ing and trailing edges, a stripper movable toward and away `from the plate presenting an edge and a helical cam adapted to ibe traversed by the leading edges :ot the charts consecutively as the stack is rotated to consecutively remove charts trom the stack and expose the next subjacent chart, and means on each chart tor causing its leading edge to be disposed forwardly of the edge on the stripper so las to be guided thereby onto the cam.

I8. In a recorder, a rotary plate adapted to receive and rotate a stack of circular charts divided on approximately radial lines defining leading and trailingedges, stripping means urged toward Ithe plate and engageable beneath the leading edges to consecutively strip charts from the stacks, said charts having peripheral notches adjacent their trailing edges, a T-shaped head on the plate the shank of which is receivable in the notches by which the charts are indexed and driven, and means enabling but restricting movements of the stripping means to positions parallel to the plate.

9. A circular recording chart which is divided on a line extending from its peripheral edge towards its center defining leading and trailing edges of the chart, Iand a tab struck out of a portion of the chart adjacent one of said edges reversely folded against one side of the chart and extending across the line of division and positioned against the other side of the chart adjacent the other of said edges, said tab serving to disalign one edge with respect to the other.

10. In a recorder, a rotary plate adapted to receive and rotate a stack of circular charts divided on approximately radial lines dening leading and trailing edges, a stripper engageable beneath the leading edges of the charts consecutively as they rotate to consecutively remove the charts from the stack, a'pair of links on each side of the stripper, means pivotally mounting one end of each link on a stationary support, means pivotally mounting the other end of eac-h link to the side of the stripper for maintaining the stripper parallel to the plate but pern 7 mittingt to'move toward or away from the plate, spng References Cited in the le of this patent 'means urging the stripper toward the plate, one o1' more UNITED ,VSTATESLPATENTS pens movable over the lcharts as thecharts rotateysaid pens being swingable .toward and away from the plate, llver'llgf said stripper presenting an edge engageable with the pens 5 2 703;7453 Smith I 8f 1955/ y for swinging the pens yaway from rthe plate when the 2,978,237 Dangher-ty n." MAPI;V 4f 1961 stripper is moved away from the plate, and means for re- "j" leasably holding Vlthe stripper in a position vaway from OTHER REFERENCES the plate' `and as a consequence holding the pens away from Ser. No. 352,111, Fornfbacher (ABC.) published May the plate.` 10 25, 1943. 

6. IN A RECORDER, A ROTARY PLATE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND ROTATE A STACK OF CIRCULAR CHARTS DIVIDED ON APPROXIMATELY RADIAL LINES DEFINING LEADING AND TRAILING EDGES, A STRIPPER ENGAGEABLE BENEATH THE LEADING EDGES OF THE CHARTS CONSECUTIVELY AS THEY ROTATE TO CONSECUTIVELY REMOVE THE CHARTS FROM THE STACK, MEANS INCLUDING LINKAGES PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSED SIDES OF THE STRIPPER FOR MAINTAINING THE STRIPPER PARALLEL TO THE PLATE BUT PERMITTING IT TO MOVE TOWARD OR AWAY FROM THE PLATE, SPRING MEANS URGING THE STRIPPER TOWARD THE PLATE, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE STRIPPER IN A POSITION REMOTE FROM THE PLATE WHILE CHARTS ARE BEING REPLACED ON THE PLATE. 